Happily Never After
by GinaDarling
Summary: The heroes’ emotions are turned upside down by the surprise entrance of three new “special” girls and two sets of rivals are about to hate each other a little more. HiroOCAdam and PeterOCSylar
1. Prologue: Runaways

Title: Happily Never After 

Summary: After remembering everything, Peter is heading back to New York with Adam, but someone from his past has beat him to it and brought along a few friends. The heroes' emotions are turned upside down by the surprise entrance of three new "special" girls and two sets of rivals are about to hate each other a little more. Hiro/OC/Adam and Peter/OC/Sylar

**Rating: **M for possible mature content.

**Disclaimer: **Although it would be awesome to be able to say the opposite, we do not own _Heroes_. However, Kaila, Lor, and Renee are all ours.

**Authors' Note: **This story is the result of the joint efforts of my friend Haylee and myself. We were discussing our obsession with _Heroes _one day through text messages, which evolved into "My power would be this…yours would be that!" Thus, we became inspired to write our own little ficcy for our favorite show. Anyways, enjoy.

**P.S. We apologize for the length. There will be more soon!**

Prologue: Runaways

The moon hung innocently in the sky, casting down not-so-innocent shadows. Concealed in the dark patches between the trees were figures moving so swiftly that the movement could have easily been mistaken for the Las Vegas breeze blowing through the cull de sac. The whispers could have been leaves brushing together if only the sound weren't so quick and frantic that it didn't coincide with the soft wind. For a moment the sound and movement stopped, though it could only be noticed if one knew to look. Then, three black-clad figures emerged from the shadows at a run across a patch of moonlight; wrenching open the doors of a small blue 89 Honda Prelude, they jumped in and slammed the doors behind them.

"Why couldn't one of us have had the power to teleport or something?" the figure in the passenger seat hissed.

"Well you could have tried doing something useful like knocking them out!" replied the person in the driver's seat.

"It's not as easy as it looks, alright!"

The third figure sat up in the back seat, a sudden calm falling over the arguing pair. "Girls, this isn't the time to be fighting. We need to get out of here. Lor, drive. Renee, just shut your mouth."

Renee huffed and slid down in her seat with her arms crossed as Lor shoved the keys into the ignition and started the car. As they began driving down the road at a speed slightly above the limit, the redhead steering glanced at the other two girls. "Where are we going anyway? Any ideas? Kaila?"

"New York," Renee spoke up, her head turned towards the window.

"New York? That's all the way across the damn country!"

The brunette sitting next to her turned to look at her. "I think…I think there might be someone there that I know." She looked out the windshield. "It's the only place I can think of that we can go."

"Wait, there _might_ be someone there?" Kaila inquired skeptically.

"Well there's a chance he's not there anymore, but I have good reason to believe he is."

"What's that?"

"His brother just made it into the Senate. Last I heard he was still living in New York. The person I'm thinking of…he wouldn't have left his brother."

Lor looked at her friend for a moment before sighing and turning onto the interstate. "You better be right about this."


	2. Chapter One: Keep Your Eyes on the Road

**Disclaimer:**We do not own _Heroes,_ but Lor, Kaila, and Renee are all ours. MWAHAHA. Ahem…anyway.

Yay! It is chapter one! I'm actually surprised it was done so fast. I'm not at all used to writing with another person, so…yeah. We're just doing this thing where we each write about half the chapter, and it's a hell of a lot easier than writing the whole five or so pages myself.

**I know. I'm lazy. Shut up and read your story, **_**Heroes **_**junkies.**

**P.S. I was totally kidding. **

Chapter One: Keep Your Eyes on the Road

Renee placed the chips and sodas on the counter and turned to pull out a pair of gloves along with her wallet as the cashier started to ring her up. She slipped the black leather gloves onto her small hands with practiced ease, casting a small, innocent smile to the man behind her in line who had given her a curious look.

"Poor circulation," she explained as she pulled out a few bills and handed them to the girl behind the counter. The man simply nodded, and as Renee retrieved her change she noticed him cast a wary glance towards a man and woman whispering heatedly to each other in a different language in the snack isle. She turned back to the counter and took one of her bags as Kaila appeared at her shoulder to take the other one. The blonde flinched, glancing over at the arguing pair before raising her eyebrows at Renee as they moved to the side to wait for Lor, who was using the restroom.

"He's real upset about something," Kaila noted, eyeing the two discreetly. "It's really pissing her off."

Renee sighed and put her wallet into her bright red bag before zipping it up. "I wish you didn't feel the need to forecast peoples' emotions like the weather," she said with a small smile.

"I can't help it! It's like a hurricane over there; totally overshadows that other guy's uneasiness." The other girl folded her hair behind her ear and nodded in the direction of the man who had been behind Renee in line. He'd purchased a bottle of aspirin and was twisting his watch around his wrist while he waited for his change. He looked up, meeting Renee's gaze as if he wasn't surprised to find her looking. Accepting his bag and receipt, he smirked and raised one thick eyebrow without breaking her stare. The young brunette pursed her lips and mimicked his raised eyebrow in return, noting that he was rather good looking with his rugged five o'clock shadow and dark eyes overshadowed by brown hair that looked like it had slightly overgrown its previous short crop. "Renee…" Her friend's voice was almost a warning, but she ignored it as the man drew closer to them with a calmly confident swagger.

"How're your hands?" he inquired, his smirk turning into an endearing smile.

"Much warmer now, thank you," Renee replied with an amused look on her face. "I'm Renee, by the way…and that rhyme was completely unintentional." She motioned to the blonde next to her who was sizing up the chuckling man with critical eyes. "This is my cousin, Kaila." He turned his eyes to Kaila for a moment before looking back to Renee and taking her outstretched gloved hand and shaking it.

"I'm delighted to make the acquaintance of two such lovely women," he replied, keeping hold of Renee's hand even after they'd stopped shaking. His eyes studied her face with vague interest as he continued. "My name is…Gabriel."

Kaila narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Had to think about it?"

Gabriel dropped Renee's hand and looked back to the blonde. "Well, of course. I am not a man who can easily retain his poise around such visions as the two of you. I wanted to be sure that I didn't make a fool of myself by giving the wrong name." He smiled, but Kaila remained unconvinced, crossing her arms and giving Renee a look that showed her uneasiness, but the brunette had turned her attention to Lor who'd appeared at her shoulder after finishing in the restroom.

"Time to go," the red-haired girl said, tugging on Renee's arm and looking at Gabriel with the same critical eyes as Kaila. He smiled at the newest addition to their group, and she simply responded with a challenging raised eyebrow.

"Okay, Lor, no need to pull my arm out of the socket," Renee replied. She looked back at the man in front of her. "It was nice meeting you." She smiled as Lor pulled her towards the door of the Ohio gas station, Kaila nudging her along from behind.

"Yes," Gabriel called after them. "It was really…special." Renee grinned as the bell above the door rang their exit, while her friends cast the stranger a couple of wary, suspicious glances.

"Guys, chill out!" Renee complained to her friends, who were ushering her to the car and proceeded to open the back door and push her into the back seat. "What's your damage?" she demanded when her friends had gotten into the front seats. Kaila, whose turn it was to drive, revved up the engine and shot out of the parking lot. They were at least a mile down the road before Lor decided to answer.

"That guy was definitely bad news," she said, glancing out the back window as if she expected him to be chasing the car on a bicycle.

"Who, Gabriel? I thought he was nice," Renee pouted as she clicked her seatbelt on.

Kaila rolled her eyes at her friend in the rearview mirror. "You couldn't feel the seriously weird stuff going on with that guy. I don't even know what it was. It was like he _wanted_ something." She shuddered as she recalled the emotions she'd picked up.

"Like my number, maybe?" the girl in the back seat replied, sarcasm etched into her tone.

"I don't think so, Nay," Lor stated seriously, her eyes locking on her cousin. "There were really big danger vibes coming off of him. He had some huge-"

"Ulterior motives," Renee completed her friend's thought in a mocking tone. She crossed her arms in the short silence that followed and slumped down in her seat with her eyes trained on the window.

"Yes," Lor sighed. "Yes, Renee. I know you're sick of hearing it, but-"

"You're right. I am sick of hearing it, so maybe you should stop saying it. Every guy that talks to me has some sort of dark evil reason for doing so. Say, maybe they just think I'm hot, huh? No way. They couldn't possibly just be _men_. Their intentions are _always_sinister!" She closed her eyes against the hurt look on her red headed friend's face and rubbed her temples.

"We just want to keep you safe, Nay." Lor's voice was soft.

"Yeah," Kaila replied, her tone matching that of the girl next to her.

"I know that. I know. But I'm not a stupid little sixteen year old anymore. How am I supposed to grow up if you guys won't let me?" She looked imploringly from Lor's eyes to the rearview mirror through which Kaila was casting her glances, and then returned to staring out the window.

"Nay…" The driver said softly, willing a sense of calm onto the spoken girl.

"Kaila, don't do that. Please, just…leave me alone…" Renee's brow furrowed as she felt the faux calm lift and the previous sensation of mixed anger and disappointment settle back into her chest. She leaned her head against the cool glass and closed her eyes, letting the sunlight streaming through the window warm her face as she drifted into another restless sleep.

--------------------------------

For the most part, everything was peaceful after that little event. Kaila had just turned on to the New Jersey Turnpike, New York gleaming on the horizon. She yawned softly, and read 4:02 am on the car dashboard. Renee and Lor were sleeping. She felt like the only one alive on the empty highway during the ominously quiet Sunday morning.

She had never been across the country before, let lone outside the boundaries of the west coast. But she felt like she was always running away from something, mainly her grandfather's company that kept trying to take her hostage and make her "one of them." Her mind drifted to her past, or what was left of it. Unfortunately for Kaila, always running meant leaving her memories behind too.

She was driving in a sort of stupor when out of absolutely nowhere, two Asian men appeared in the middle of the road. She slammed on the breaks and just barely made it without hitting them, but at a price. Renee and Lor jerked to a clearly unwanted state of consciousness.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Renee said belligerently, "What just happened?!"

"Are-are we hit? Is it an accident?" Lor said frantically.

"Nothing happened! Two men appeared in the road and I had to slam on the brakes so I wouldn't hit them!"

"That's bullshit! I don't freaking-"

"That's enough! This is no time to get angry." Kaila said sternly, immediately creating serenity in the car.

Before they all had time to think over what had happened, the two men came scurrying over to the car, screaming something like _Oh no, so sorry!_

They appeared at the left hand side window. Renee, Kaila and Lor got out of the car to assess the two and make sure they were harmless. They were both Japanese. One was tall and thin, looking both scared and smug, wearing basic clothes: slacks, a collared shirt, and an unfashionable jacket. The other was shorter and round, with an innocent face that looked like it had seen a lot in its lifetime. He was wearing glasses, and kind of looked like your typical comic book geek. He had with him a knapsack and.. a samurai sword; but the panic stricken eyes behind his glasses and his long-ish black hair made him look, well…absolutely adorable.

"I am so sorry. Big accident. I didn't mean to teleport in front of your car. So, so sorry!" He said in broken, but smooth English.

Then something clicked in Renee's mind.

"Did you say you just teleported?!"

Both men looked scared and speechless, like a big secret had been leaked out, slowly.

"Well…uh… you see…" he said, scared.

Renee looked as if she were about to explode in her anger and confusion. But Kaila seemed to think he wasn't lying. The reason being…she couldn't change his emotion. _I know there are others like me…like Renee and Lor…maybe…just maybe…_

"Do you have a power?"

Both men looked even more shocked. The secret was out.

"Well, do you?" piped Lor.

And then, all of a sudden, the shorter man got very excited, and displayed a wide baby grin on his face.

"Yes, yes I do! I am Hiro Nakamura, and this is Ando. I bend the space-time continuum. I can teleport! But wait…does that mean…you have power too?"

Now it was the girls' turn to be shocked. They had a feeling there were others with powers just like theirs, but they didn't imagine they would meet any on their journey.

"Yes…yes we do! I'm Kaila. I can change and feel other people's emotions. Renee can sort of…shapeshift, and whatever Lor says comes true…if she wants it to, anyway. This…this is incredible that you ran into us! Do you live in New York?" Kaila asked exasperatedly.

"Oh, you want to go to New York? I can take you there! Get in the car; this is going to be fun!"

The girls tensely got into the car, not knowing what to expect.

"Oh cool, this is just like Harry Potter!" Renee gushed.

And then, as if in a split second, Hiro put his hands on Ando and the car, squeezed his face, and as if like a flame freshly put out, they were instantly surrounded by dozens of cars in a New York City parking garage.


	3. Chapter Two: If Your Heart Stops Beating

**Disclaimer: **Don't own, don't sue.

Author's Note: Thanks to Rosalie James for the lovely review! When we get reviews we're happy, when we're happy we write more, when we write more YOU'RE happy, and when you're happy you review! See the cycle here? Hehe. Anyway, here's chapter two. Many a precious hour of class time was spent writing this on paper hidden beneath our binders so we could get it out soon. A lot happens in this chapter. Enjoy and let us know what you think.

Chapter Two: If Your Heart Stops Beating 

"None of this looks familiar to me," Renee groaned, leaning forward in the driver's seat to look up at the tall buildings on either side of them. "To be honest, I don't even know if they still live in the same place. I'm going on a whim here." Lor made a displeased noise from the back seat, where she was squished in the middle between Kaila and Ando. "Listen, if you want to go back to LA and put my mother and your parents at risk again, be my guest, but if you ask me this was the better option." She glanced into the rearview mirror where Lor and Kaila both grimaced, knowing the younger girl was right. Renee turned her green eyes back to the road, noticing Hiro's stare out of the corner of her eye. He was grinning excitedly and kept glancing back at Kaila, but couldn't seem to stop bringing his eyes back to the brunette at the wheel. "What?" Her annoyance was evident in the tone of her voice.

"You are Rin, yes?" Hiro asked, not seeming to notice her discomfort.

"Ren_ee_," she answered, emphasizing the missing syllable.

"Yes! Rin Ay."

"Renee."

"Rin Ay."

"No, it's one word. _Renee_."

"One word?"

Renee sighed, her fingernails digging into the steering wheel. "Okay! Fine! Call me Rin! Whatever!" Ando snickered at his friend's confusion and Kaila smiled behind her hand, finding it adorable that the man thought "Renee" was both her first and last name.

"Okay, Rin!" Hiro was still grinning, unphased by the argument. "You are the one who can…uh…shapeshift, right!" It was more of a statement than a question.

Renee narrowed her eyes, staring ahead at the cars in front of her. "Yes…"

"Oh! Can I see?" His eyes shined excitedly and he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"No." Her reply was blunt and emotionless. She kept her eyes trained on the bright yellow taxicab easing along in the traffic before them.

"Oh…why not?" Hiro's face fell and Kaila had to stifle a giggle.

"Because I don't feel like it, so quit staring at me!"

Kaila frowned, her friend's annoyance and anxiety filling her senses. "Nay," she said softly. "It's okay. Just use one you already have."

"You make it sound like it's easy." Renee's tone was uncomfortable, but not angry. "The last person I touched was one of the men your grandfather sent."

There was a long pause as the car fell silent. "Was it bad?" Kaila's voice was soft, worried.

"Not it was just…normal."

Hiro and Ando looked back and forth between them, confused.

"Then why are you freaking out?" Lor asked, carefully, not wanting to seem like she was attacking her friend.

"You know why," Renee insisted. "My power is not exactly meant for recreational use. It's manipulative."

"You wouldn't be manipulating anyone right now," Lor urged. "It's just for fun." Renee made a noise in the back of her throat that expressed her disagreement.

"Oh, no," Hiro said, suddenly looking distressed. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to upset anyone."

Kaila could no longer contain herself. "Aw! He's adorable! Nay, why don't you show him?"

"Me too!" Ando piped in, gaining the attention of the entire car. He shrank back with a shy smile in Lor's direction. "I am adorable too."

Lor laughed and put her arm around him boldly. "Sure you are, cutie."

Renee sighed and took a sharp right as they came to an intersection. "Fine," she said after a short pause. "If only to get the Tokyo Twosome to shut up." She smirked at Hiro in a sidelong glance to show she was kidding. He responded with a grin and two thumbs up signs. The brown-haired 24-year-old turned her eyes back to the road, her grip on the wheel visibly relaxing. Hiro adjusted his glasses and leaned forward excitedly. After several deep breaths, her skin seemed to change, as if a million tiny pixels were turning over to reveal a different color beneath. Her skin became lighter, her cheekbones more pronounced. The green faded from her eyes and was replaced by a shocking blue, while her hair curled and shifted from a dark brown to dirty blonde. She shifted a little uncomfortable in her seat as her legs became too long for her jeans. A few seconds later, they were all staring at a completely different figure in the driver's seat.

"Niki?!" Ando exclaimed. He leaned across Lor. "How do you know her?!"

"What? You know this woman?" Renee's voice came from the stranger's mouth.

"Yes, we do!" Hiro answered for him.

Renee's eyes suddenly went dark, and in half the time it took her to transform into a stranger, she became herself again. Her hands turned the wheel sharply so they drove into a deserted side street.

"Get out." She said it softly, her voice deadly and low.

"What?" Kaila questioned. "No-!"

"Get out! Now!" Renee's voice went from low to loud enough to leave a ringing in their ears. Lor, recognizing the threat, understood that her friend had a good reason for her outburst. She took her arm from around Ando's shoulders and opened the door for him.

"You'd better listen to her," she said.

Hiro looked from Lor's serious gaze to Kaila's apologetic expression to Renee's threatening glare before throwing open the door and jumping out of the car. Ando followed his example and had barely cleared the door when Renee hit the gas, the door shutting with the force of acceleration. They drove down several streets in silence before Kaila could get their urgent emotions down to a normal level.

"Explain," was all Lor needed to say.

"They're working for Kaila's grandfather," Renee said. "They've got to be. God, how could we have been so stupid!?" She hit the steering wheel in frustration. "Two guys appear in the middle of the road, in front of _us_ of all people, then they offer to help us for no reason at all and want to see my powers?" She ground her teeth together.

"That doesn't mean they're working for my grandfather," Kaila interjected.

"No it's not just that." Renee sighed. "That woman I turned into… When I saw her she was talking to your grandfather. If they know her, what other logical explanation can you find for that?"

They drove in silence through the streets until they came back to the main road. Kaila heaved a sigh as they found themselves once again caught in traffic. "That's a shame," she said. "Hiro was really cute."

Renee leaned on the steering wheel, looking around as the buildings passed slowly. "If that _is_ his real name," she muttered. As they continued, the traffic didn't seem to get any better. "Jeez it's only eight in the morning!" She trilled her lips impatiently as she eased on the gas, then the break, gas, then break. A lull fell over her mind as she repeated the two steps over and over again. Autopilot took over and her mind wandered. She tried to pick out the one memory out of the millions in her mind that could get them to her old friend's home. As they pulled up to the red light at the end of the block, a building caught her eye on the other side of the intersection. It stood out not only because it was older and much larger than the other apartment buildings they'd seen, but also because it was shockingly familiar. The memory played like a movie in her mind, a 15-year-old version of herself skipping up the front steps and entering the code to buzz herself into the building. The numeric combination swam through the picture and she smiled, for once glad to have a memory better than a video camera. "Well," her voice pierced the silence in the car as they passed under the green light and she looked for a parking spot as close as possible to the apartment building, "I hope the pass code hasn't been changed."

Kaila smiled in the back seat. "Why are you so nervous?" She asked, teasingly.

Renee's face grew hot with a blush. "No reason."

Lor broke into a grin. "Oh, it's _him_ we're seeing? I suspected so much but I wasn't sure…"

The blonde looked back and forth between them with a frown. "What am I missing?"

"Nothing!" Renee insisted, giving Lor a glare in the rearview mirror as she pulled into a parking space a few buildings down.

"Nay never told you because when she told me she didn't know you as well," Lor said, ignoring the pissed off green eyes in the mirror.

"Lor…" Renee warned.

"But she was totally in love with this guy that she had to leave behind. That's why she was so bummed when she first came to live with us. She couldn't call him or anything because it risked them finding us."

"Lor!"

"They never dated, but they were best friends from when they were babies, all the way through high school. But right before she up and left-"

Renee twisted around to glare directly at the red head. "LOR!"

"-she lost her virginity to him."

A dead silence followed in which Renee stared open-mouthed and disbelieving at Lor's innocent expression, and Kaila broke into a smile, turning her eyes to the girl in the driver's seat.

"Well that's not such a big deal," the blonde said, reassuringly as she calmed Renee's nerves. "I'm a little surprised, but that's it."

Renee turned back around with a sigh. "I know. I just don't like talking about it." She pursed her lips. "But I guess it's better that you know beforehand. Things could possibly get…awkward." _If he's even around anymore, _she thought. Her eyes slid to Lor, who looked smug. "Shut up!"

Laughing, the three girls got out of the car and walked up the sidewalk. People bustled by them, some headed for the corner coffee stand, others for the Starbucks across the street. All of them had the air of a busy, sensible life that followed all the rules of normal living. _If only, _passed through Renee's mind as they came to the apartment building and walked up the front steps. The brunette's fingers found the familiar metal buttons and entered the combination she remembered.

To the surprise of all the girls, the knob turned in Renee's hand. She looked to her friends, shrugged, and walked through the door. Kaila and Lor followed her up three flights of stairs and down to the end of a hall where she stopped, staring at the old dark wood and brass number 306.

"This is it," Renee's voice was soft and surprised, like she hadn't expected the door to still be in existence. "The moment of truth." She raised her eyebrows at her friends and lifted her right hand to knock. The sound echoed off of what sounded like a high ceiling, and a moment later the door opened to reveal the luxurious flat within. A tall, thin woman with short dark hair had opened the door and she was looking at the three girls with distant eyes.

"Yes?" the woman asked.

Renee smiled, recognition flashing across her face.

"Mrs. Petrelli?"

"Yes, that would be my name." The woman paused. "Do I know you girls?"

"You probably don't remember me, but my name is Renee Campbell. I knew your son when we were in high school and-"

"Renee! Of course." A sudden smile of recognition graced Mrs. Petrelli's features.

"You remember! That's great. Um, this is my cousin Lor and her adoptive sister, Kaila. We were hoping you might be able to tell us where we could find Peter."

Mrs. Petrelli's smile faltered and she looked down the hall, then back to Renee. "Maybe you should come inside." She stepped back so that the girls could enter the ritzy front room. A staircase lead to a second floor on the left, and the room opened into a plush living room to the right. They followed the older woman into the living room. "Please, sit." Renee smiled and nodded, taking a seat on the white leather couch with the other two following her lead. Mrs. Petrelli perched on the edge of a chair across the glass coffee table and smoothed her gray skirt before folding her hands in her lap and looking up at the girls. "I'm sorry you had to come all this way girls, but I'm afraid…" She took a deep breath. "I'm afraid that Peter is dead."

The smiles disappeared from the girls' faces. Lor and Kaila both looked towards Renee. Shock clouded Kaila's senses first, then a piercing stab that she recognized as her friend's heart breaking. "He's gone?" The youngest girl's voice was small, and her friends weren't used to hearing it that way. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Petrelli. I'm sorry we intruded and brought all this up again… I just… It's hard to believe that he's gone. I… When… How did it happen?"

"It happened about four months ago. There was an accident; a gas leak, actually. It caused an explosion." Mrs. Petrelli looked down at her hands in her lap. "There was nothing left but rubble."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Petrelli," Lor spoke up.

"Me t-too," Kaila stuttered. The three other women in the room looked to her to find that silent tears were rolling down her face.

"Is your friend all right?" Mrs. Petrelli asked, looking confused.

"She's fine," Lor said, a little to quickly. "Um, what I mean to say is…Kaila is very empathetic." 

"I'm s-sorry," Kaila hiccupped. "I don't mean to get so upset." She took a few deep breaths until she calmed down, then turned to put an arm around Renee, who's pain, combined with Mrs. Petrelli's, she had just expressed.

"Well," Mrs. Petrelli tried to lighten the mood. "You girls can't have come all this way just for Peter. Why are you in town?"

Renee attempted a smile, remembering clearly how cold the woman always appeared to be. "We're just…traveling." She watched as Mrs. Petrelli gave her a thin-lipped smile and realized the woman didn't believe her, but wasn't going to say so. A moment later she made a hasty decision. "No, actually that's a lie. We're not just traveling."

"Renee!" Lor interjected.

Mrs. Petrelli just nodded. "I'd thought as much. Why are you really here?"

Renee looked to Kaila, but her friend's face was unreadable. "We got into some…trouble in LA. Nothing illegal…at least not on our end." She looked down at her hands, clutching the fabric of her jeans. "Regardless, we couldn't stay where we were, so I just headed for the first place to pop into my head." She looked up, her expression a closed-mouth smile that didn't reach her eyes. "At least you're still here. I'd have felt very foolish if none of you were around."

"You gave my son happiness when he could find it nowhere else," Mrs. Petrelli said, leaning across the coffee table to place one bony hand over Renee's. "As far as I'm concerned, you are always welcome here." In a split second the older woman was suddenly standing, speaking to a young blonde girl, telling her she had to go to Paris. The picture blurred and she was crying over the motionless figure of a shaggy haired man she knew to be Peter. Blur. Mrs. Petrelli speaking to a dark skinned man in a wheel chair atop a building. Blur. Sitting in an interrogation room, her nose bleeding, a man demanding answers. Blur. Standing next to the hospital bed of a heavily burned Nathan. Blur. Watching Nathan fly into the air and disappear from sight in search of Peter. Blur. Mrs. Petrelli was once again sitting on the couch across from her, looking as if she didn't know whether to be concerned or offended.

Renee looked down to see that Lor and Kaila had both grabbed her arm to pull her hand away from the older woman's fingers. She moved her eyes to meet Mrs. Petrelli's, trying to think of something to say. After a few moments she managed a halfhearted smile. "Sorry. I have an issue with being touched. I don't know why, but for some reason it freaks me out."

"That's all right, dear." Mrs. Petrelli didn't seem entirely convinced.

"We should probably go. We have to find a hotel." Renee stood up, as did Kaila and Lor. The woman across from them mimicked their movement. "It was good to see you again, even…under the circumstances." The girls walked out of the living room, Mrs. Petrelli following. The brunette paused with her hand on the doorknob. "Sorry to have dropped in on you so suddenly. I hope the rest of your day is pleasant."

Mrs. Petrelli smiled her tight-lipped smile and nodded. "You too, girls."

Renee turned and opened the door, but when she moved to step through it she found herself staring at the white chest of a tee shirt. She took an awkward step back, her eyes moving up to the surprised expression on the angular face. The man had had his hand raised to knock when the door had opened. Renee gasped audibly. Though his hair was cut short and he'd grown into the awkward angles of his body, becoming a filled out and radically handsome version of his teenage self, there was no mistaking the figure of Peter Petrelli standing before her.


	4. Chapter Three: You Read Me Like a Book

**Disclaimer: **Don't own, don't sue.

Author's Note: We'd like to apologize for the long wait. We've had a lot going on with school and our personal lives as of late but after many a class period spent writing and lots of procrastination here, finally, is chapter three! We hope that the length will make it up to you. Enjoy, and please review. It would make us more inclined to get quicker updates!

Chapter Three: You Read Me Like a Book 

The door stood motionless on its hinges, his eyes staring into hers. It was amazing; he'd come with so much anger, ready to pound down the door and tell his mother he knew _everything._ But when Peter Petrelli opened that door, fate had stepped in. He knew who she was, felt like he knew why she was there, and then he became very overwhelmed. He gasped and buckled over. The past four months had done a number on him. She reached out to him half helping, half embracing over the confusing emotions surging through her body.

It became a domino effect. The minute Renee touched him she saw everything- a gun shot, a sliced head, an explosion. Peter could not take the consumption of so many new powers. Renee started to shake as Peter's eyes rolled back into his head. Across the room, Kaila passed out from everyone's emotions overwhelming her. As Mrs. Petrelli angrily stormed over to her son, Lor realized the situation and screamed, "Everyone go to sleep!" Thirty seconds later, there were five bodies on the floor.

Kaila woke up on a comfortable cloth upholstered couch, the sun's setting rays drifting through the windows. Across the room, she could faintly see Lor and Renee in a two-person bed. "Okay…they're okay…" And, having the feeling of safety surround her, she drifted back to sleep.

Renee stirred and opened her eyes. The light came directly into her eyes. She instantly blinked a number of times to fight away the blurriness. When her eyes came back into focus, she was shocked to find Peter sitting next to her, studying her features. She gave a great flinch.

"Oh, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Wha- where- they- huh?"

"I woke up first. I came to my mother's house to tell her something…but I figured it wasn't right to say anything while I was angry. And I couldn't leave you and your friends there, so I had you guys taken here…my friend helped me…" he rambled. "Anyway, this is my home. Please make yourself comfortable. I hope you'll stay for a while. It's been a really long time since you…disappeared."

"What…did you have to tell…Mrs. Petrelli?" she asked in a groggy voice.

"It's okay. You know everything I know."

"Huh?"

"I read your file. I was locked up at the company you're running from. I went there to be healed, but I soon learned how evil they are. I was storming to my mother's house to tell her I am alive, and I know her company is corrupt…but you were there. It's as if you made me realize I don't owe my mother any words…I had to bring you here."

Mulling this around in her head, Renee finally said, "I came here…to New York, to find you…for help…I thought you could help me escape them…"

"You did the right thing. You're safe now, as long as you're with me." And to her shock, he reached out and hugged her. They simply sat and embraced each other, Lor snoring next to them. "Don't ever leave me again. You were missed a lot."

In the next room, Kaila woke up for good. It didn't take her long to realize that Peter must have saved them and brought them to his home. She got up to look for a bathroom so she could fix her hair, but as she walked down the hallway, she felt a piercing emotion she couldn't define.

She could sense someone was behind her, but she couldn't move...couldn't turn around, as if she was paralyzed by fear or nonchalance, she didn't know. She quickly calmed down her racing heart, so that she could stay on the defensive, just in case. A hand lightly touched her shoulder, but she didn't flinch. Finally she turned around, and there was Adam.

"Hi," he said softly, "I hope I didn't scare you."

"Why no…I had a feeling it would be you."

She was in shock from how good-looking he was, and how fast he made her heart beat. It was as if her power couldn't quell her mood fast enough… as if his eyes did her power for her. Instantly she got the burning sensation to run her hands through his short blond hair and take a taste of his moustache. But she immediately brushed that idea out of her mind. _What am I thinking? He is a complete stranger!_ For though she could not deny the desire she felt for this man, she could not reject the ominous feeling she sensed as well.

"Where are Renee and Peter?" she asked casually.

"Oh, they are catching up in the other room. I think it would be best to give them some time alone. Would you like to see some of New York while we're waiting?" he said, holding his hand out to her.

Her gut said to say no. _Danger, danger!_ Big warning signals were popping up all in her mind. But she ignored them. _It's just a passing feeling._ And as she convinced herself that there would be no harm in sightseeing, she took his hand, and left.

The city was beautiful. The two set off down the street, the crisp fall air flowing around them, as a few leaves softly fell down around them. They were waked through Central Park. Kaila enjoyed walking slowly, observing the families and couples around them, happy in their own worlds. She was completely content after their stressful journey. She didn't even feel the need to alter any emotions. It was as if there was actual peace. She wondered if she was creating this mood on her own, but realized she wasn't. She was so serene that she didn't even notice Adam glancing at her every few seconds. He wasn't enticed by her, but was certainly interested.

"Where are you from?" he asked suddenly.

"Oh, Las Vegas. Where are you from?"

"I skip around here and there. Hm, I'd say my home town is…Kyoto, Japan."

"Wow! You must travel a lot?" 

"Indeed."

"That's awesome. I always wanted to see the world."

"Well…it is interesting."

He didn't sound convincing. Now that she was more alert, her good mood started to fade, her cautionary senses growing.

"How long do you plan on staying?" he asked.

"Oh…I'm not sure." 

"Well I hope you stay long."

"And why is that?" 

"I would like to take the opportunity to get to know such an enticing girl."

Kaila blushed. _What is it about him?_ she thought._ Maybe I should try changing-_

"I know you have a power. And yes, I'm well aware how mysterious I seem. Well you have nothing to fear- I'm just like you, only I can regenerate."

She could not quickly enough change her feeling of shock. She did not feel any safer, rather violated that he knew about her. "How do you know…?"

"Linderman. Your grandfather. I used to know him."

Instantly, a red flag went off in her head, she was right about her bad feeling. "You…then you're just like him!"

"What? Oh, no, wait, I can explain. We used to be friends, then-"

But she wouldn't let him finish. She bolted, knowing she had to get back to the apartment and warn the girls. _Is this a trap? Is Peter on their side? How could I be so stupid!? I should have known when I felt how sketchy he was. _She could hear him calling behind her, "Kaila, wait! I can explain!" but she kept running through the crowd, past so many blocks she lost count.

As it turned out, running was a foolish thing to do. She god herself lost in a seemingly off neighborhood. She became overwhelmed with emotion and backed into an alley next to an old sword shop. Her head and heart were pounding and she couldn't calm down. Everything became dark. She was losing control of her power. _Why? Why now? No! I can't pass out here!_

"Kaila? Kaila, you okay?"

It was Hiro.

But she couldn't feel relieved or happy. The pain and confusion swirled around in her head. It felt like something inside her was trying to explode out. "Help…h-h-help me."

Hiro ran toward her and tried to help her up; but then, there was a sudden bright flash and he was sent flying off of her.

He looked toward her and couldn't believe his eyes. In a grotesque display, something hard and long was coming out of her chest. She started to cough. Every emotion in the world swirled through her. She started to bawl, the tears clouding her vision. She thought she was dying, but she couldn't shake the feeling of something coming alive in her.

The long black object pushed out of her chest, but no blood was present. She became very still, and then it was finished. The object was fully removed from her body, and clinked to the ground.

After recovering from the shock, Hiro instantly ran over to Kaila and the object. He rested her body against his, warming her immediately.

"Kaila, are you all right?"

"Yeah…I think I am. It feels like I just vomited, but now I feel fine. Hiro…what was that?"

He reached over cautiously and picked up the object. He immediately felt a hilt, and raised up a sword identical to his, the helix "Godsend" shining furiously.

"What? THAT'S what came out of me!? How- why? Am I some kind of FREAK?" Kaila exclaimed as she tugged at her hair frantically. But Hiro studied the object, and then something clicked in his head.

"I know why this sword came out of you, Kaila. It is fate," He said, pulling his sword out of his bag and displaying it to her.

Initially, she didn't understand, the confusion still blurring her mind. But as the concept mulled through her mind, she began to get it. "You mean…I am meant to fight?"

"With me. We are meant to fight together! But first…I must train you," he replied seriously.

"Yes…Yes, I understand."

"Some danger is obviously coming. We must stop it."

"What danger?"

"I do not know yet. We must first deal with your training. Will you be able to meet with me?"

"Yes, I'll just have to get around my friends. I have a feeling it won't be easy to convince them that you're not evil."

"Fine. You must sneak out. Tomorrow, at 9AM, meet me at Kirby Plaza. I'll give you directions if you can tell me where you're staying."

"Well, I'm not sure. I got lost while taking a walk. All I know is that I'm staying in the home of Peter Petrelli."

"Peter Petrelli!" Hiro grinned, recognizing the name. "Then I will accompany you there. I know where he lives. And then, make arrangements for tomorrow!" Saying this, he held out his hand to her to get her off the ground. She accepted, and the two were on their way, her emotions finally returning to normal and Adam far from her mind.

Peter sat across from Renee, quietly observing her sipping her mug of tea with shaking hands. She hadn't quite recovered from that morning's events, and her old friend's steady gaze was making her feel self-conscious. She set the cup down and reached into her jacket pocket for her gloved, desperate to have something to do with her hands. Peter's eyes remained trained on her face, and he hid a lop-sided smile behind his own cup.

"What?" Renee asked after several more agonizing minutes trying to ignore his stare.

Peter chuckled. "Nothing. Just getting used to you being back." His crooked smile didn't falter. Renee could remember it from when they were kids, and it never failed to make her stomach turn. He set down his mug and leaned forward imploringly. "Should I be honest?" She nodded hesitantly. "I want to memorize you."

"Memorize me?" Renee's voice cracked and she felt her cheeks grow hot.

"Yeah." He paused, watching her cheeks grow rosy in the dim kitchen light. "I know what it feels like to forget you. I don't want it to happen again."

"You forgot about me, Peter?" Renee's face fell.

"Not by choice," Peter reassured her. As he opened his mouth to explain further, Lor entered the room and yawned loudly. She plopped down into a seat next to Renee, her blue eyes studying Peter, who had moved his gaze down to stare into his mug. Renee fixed her expression into a smile and greeted her friend.

"Morning, starshine!" the brunette said with a brightness she didn't feel.

Lor scoffed. "It's like, four in the afternoon." Renee shrugged and Lor reached out to grab her cup, taking a mouthful and swallowing. She made a face. "What the hell is this? No coffee?"

"It's tea," Renee replied, grabbing her cup back, "And if you want coffee go make some." She nodded at the coffee maker on the counter. Peter said nothing, his eyes still on his tea.

"All right, I'll just help myself," Lor said. She stood up, walking across the room to make the caffeinated drink. "Meanwhile, you can tell me where we are and how we got here."

"Easy. Peter's apartment and he brought us here." Renee took a sip of her tea and smiled at her friend.

"Neh." Lor put water into the pot and dumped it into the coffee maker.

Peter looked towards her, his eyebrows raised in amusement. Renee regarded him curiously when he turned back to meet her gaze, but he merely shrugged and took a sip of tea. She cleared her throat and said, "Anyway, you were saying?" Peter hesitated, glancing at Lor who took a seat at the table. "Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Lor. I'd probably tell her later anyway." He turned his eyes back to the brunette and smiled.

"There is a man," he stared. "He has this ability that allows him to take people's memories away. He took all of mine." A silence fell over them. Lor looked skeptical.

"How can someone take away memories?" she asked.

"How can someone say something and have it become true? How can someone teleport across miles or manipulate emotions?" Renee replied. She looked back at Peter. "I believe you."

He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, glad to find that the trust he'd built up with Renee had not been destroyed, at least not completely. "I was lucky, though. I had Adam. He helped me remember. He helped me in a lot of other ways too… He opened my eyes to the Company and how they were imprisoning me. Imprisoning both of us."

"The Company?" Lor inquired.

Peter opened his mouth to explain, but was once again interrupted, this time by a hard knock on his apartment door.

"I'll get it!" Renee sang, standing up. She skipped over to the door while Lor muttered something about bipolar disorder. The door swung open easily and Renee greeted the startled man with a grin. "Buon giorno! Posso aiutare tu?"

"Since when did you speak fluent Italian?" Lor asked, coming up beside her.

Renee looked over her shoulder, her brow furrowed. "I don't."

"Um excuse me," the man at the door spoke up. "Sorry to interrupt, but I am looking for Peter Petrelli."

"Pete!" Renee called over her shoulder. "Is he safe?"

Peter walked out of the kitchen and was at Renee's shoulder before he looked up at the man in the doorway. He smiled. "Matt Parkman."

"Peter. It's true. You're alive." The man in the doorway seemed shocked and relieved at the same time. He took a few steps into the room, then his face broke into a grin that Peter returned before they embraced.

"I guess so…" Renee closed the door as the two men separated but clapped each other on the shoulder before turning to the other girls.

"This is Matt Parkman. He's a friend of mine. Matt, this is Renee and her cousin Lor. They're visiting from Las Vegas." Peter motioned to each girl as he said their names.

Matt looked at Renee for a moment, then at the floor, clearly aware of her presence but not making eye contact. She blinked, her brow furrowed, and looked to Peter with confusion. The other man just shrugged, moving to Matt's side as he flinched.

"You all right?" Peter asked, his nursing instincts made obvious.

"Yeah…yeah I'm fine," Matt replied, leading Peter towards the kitchen where they were out of earshot. "Her mind…it's like listening to a crowd of people all shouting something different at the same time. Hadn't you noticed?"

"No," the younger man replied. "I try not to invade people's minds when I can help it." He made a face that expressed his distaste for the police officer's use of his ability.

"I don't do it on purpose," the rounder man insisted. "Not all the time." He paused, looking around, then back at Peter. "Just try. Try to hear what she's thinking. It's really bizarre. I've never experienced someone with such a jumbled mind."

Peter sighed, but nodded, and the two re-entered the room. The three girls were discussing something in hushed, hurried whispers and stopped as soon as the two men returned. Matt smiled as if he wasn't very aware that they had been speaking about him.

_He's totally freaked out by you, _was the lingering thought in Kaila's mind, obviously the last thing she'd said. Peter smiled uncertainly and turned his attention to Renee, who's eyes were nervously studying Matt. A million different voices filled his ears all at once. Men's, women's, children's, and even an infant's shriek surrounded him. His head instantly began to ache as he tried to pick out the one voice among thousands of different tones and volumes that belonged to Renee.

"You're bleeding!" Her voice. It was a few moments before Peter realized the words were spoken aloud. Retreating from her mind confused and disappointed, the 25-year-old felt the leather of Renee's gloved hand against his upper lip. His physical senses suddenly returned to him, and he could focus on the worried face of the short brunette in front of him. She grabbed his arm with the hand that wasn't on his face and steered him towards the kitchen. Matt followed, grabbing a dark towel and casting Peter "I told you so" looks that the latter dutifully ignored. Renee took the towel and placed it under Peter's nose in replacement of her hand. Holding the towel with one hand, she brought the other to her mouth and removed the glove with her teeth, careful to avoid the splotches of blood, and tossed it into the sink. She then switched hands and did the same with the other.

"I ruined your gloves," Peter said, apologetically.

"I have more than one pair," Renee dismissed.

"Oh." He reached up to pull her hand away, holding the towel in place with one hand and her fingers in the other. "Thank you." Her green irises suddenly disappeared, consumed by dilated pupils. Seeing himself reflected in the black, he jerked his fingers away from her skin, recognizing the expression. "I'm sorry! Of course. I'm so stupid. I forgot."

Lor and Kaila appeared at Renee's shoulder. "Nay?" they inquired in unison, noticing the dazed look on their friend's face.

"I forgot," Peter continued as if he hadn't even noticed the girls' entrance. He took the towel away from his nose and dropped it on the counter he was leaning against. "It seems like it was an hour ago that you already knew everything about me."

"Nay," Lor insisted. "What is he talking about?" _Does he know about your ability?_ The unspoken question leaked out of the redhead's mind and into Matt's.

"She has an ability?" the cop interjected before he could realize he was responding to a thought. An uncomfortable silence fell across the group. Renee took a step back from Peter, her hands dropping to her sides. She looked away from his, her eyes moving instead to Matt, who was receiving a look of awe from Lor.

_Did you just read her mind? _she thought.

Matt's eyes widened. He listened more, but the clear voice was once again drowned out in a crowd of other sounds. With a glance at Peter, he confirmed that the other man had also heard it. "Yes," he said finally. "Yes, I read her mind."

There was a collective _whoosh_ or air being released from lungs throughout the room. "So you're a mind reader," Renee said, speaking aloud for the benefit of the rest of the people in the room. "I'm a memory absorber." She paused, smirking. "I'd shake your hand but, well, for obvious reasons I hope you won't be offended if I don't."


End file.
